The electronic edition is a part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill digital
library, Documenting the American South.

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English

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2005-07-01, Brian Dietz finished TEI/XML encoding.

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Title of collection: University of North Carolina Papers (#40005), University Archives, University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Title of document: Letter from Charles Phillips and Benjamin Sherwood Hedrick to David L. Swain,
October 13, 1853

Author: Charles Phillips

Author: B. S. Hedrick

Description: 4 pages, 4 page images

Note:
Call number 40005 (University Archives, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill)

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Circumstances, of which you are well aware, have hitherto prevented us from making formal
suggestions respecting the precise aims and methods to be pursued in the "School for the
application of Science to the Arts," which the Trustees have committed to our care. The name of this school you will notice to
be a very vague one, in one sense comprehending the whole area of man's knowledge in this world. It
is hardly to be expected that teachers as young, ignorant and inexperienced as we are now should
attempt at first to realize to the Trustees or to the public the fulness of their intentions in
establishing this school. We therefore make the following suggestions as to what we deem attainable
and necessary for a beginning to our labours, hoping that time and extended observation may develop
new objects and methods of instruction.

Civil Engineering, although in practice it requires more or less acquaintance with all that man can
know of the material world around him, yet has certain definite, indispensable acquisitions, which
experience seems to dictate as attainable in only one way. We therefore propose that the course in
this department be as follows. The pupils shall be required to possess a competent knowledge of
Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, & Trigonometry. With us they shall be instructed in,
descriptive Geometry and its applications in determining, the rules for shades, shadows, perspective
and the representations of Machinery, Field works &c — Analytical Geometry, and
the Calculus. To these severer studies shall be joined instruction in drawing, mechanical and
landscape, the use of instruments in field work and the making of plans and necessary calculations

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in order to make the instructions as practical as the time of the teacher will permit. Then
will follow a course on Mechanics, theoretical and applied , which will be supplemented by a course
of reading and teaching on many important points for practice, such as canals, rivers, bridges,
roads of all kinds, &c, machinery, carpentry, &c, &c.

The text books to be used we would take from the set used at West Point, the most successful engineering School in our country, and
have them faithfully taught in daily recitations. Doubtless the teacher will find many occasions to
add from other stores what he thinks deficient in these books, and occasional lectures may supply
what they do not profess to communicate.

The apparatus peculiar to this school, necessary for the present and additional to what the College
already has, will be a Theodolite & Compass Plates to be copied in drawing, drawing stands
and boards, costing perhaps, five hundred dollars. We suggest only what is indispensable at first,
expecting that gradually from various sources, our means of instruction by instruments, models and
pictures may be very ample. The pupils will be expected to provide themselves with drawing
instruments and material, costing on an average twenty dollars.

It will be seen that we do not now offer to teach Natural Philosophy as in general it is
understood. Engineering strictly teaches us how to control the forces of Nature, not how to obtain
them. Our pupils should be acquainted with Electricity, Magnetism, Optics &c, but we, as
others do, must refer them for information on these important subjects to the Academic course of the
University. Nor have we time or ability now to teach practical Astronomy, besides we have no
Observatory and hence may be relieved from considering it at present.

As to the department of Analytical and Agricultural Chemistry, we would suggest that for admission
to its teachings, pupils be required to possess a general elementary knowledge of the objects and
subjects of Chemistry, such as may be obtained from some one of the many good books now published,
or better still such

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may be obtained from the Chemical course of our Colleges. So prepared the pupil shall be
allowed the use of instruments of the Analytical Laboratory, and under the immediate inspection of
the Professor be taught fully the various methods of analysis both qualitative and quantitative. In
this course of instruction there will be but little room for lecture. A part of the course of
instruction will be common to all pupils in Chemistry whatever be their professional aims. After
this has been gone over according to the wants of each pupil he shall special instruction, whether
it relate to Agriculture, mineralogy, metallurgy, pharmacy, manufactures, the investigations of the
Custom House, or physiology. To this course of manipulations it is proposed to add a course of
lectures on Agricultural Chemistry as modified by our own climate and soil, and to this end the
professor in this department hopes ere long to fully acquaint himself with the peculiar wants and
capabilities of N. Carolina and the other Southern states. Other lectures may be given as our necessities indicate.

The apparatus necessary for the commencement of our labours will as far as we can learn cost from
seven to eight hundred dollars. The most costly article will be a furnace contrived to furnish a
sand bath, evaporating chamber, hot and distilled water. Prof. Norton contrived one for Yale College which is generally thought to answer every purpose and we
understand that it will cost about three hundred dollars. Balances will require about one hundred
dollars. Chemicals, Retorts, bottles, lamps, and fixtures will in all probability consume the rest
of the $7 or 800 for a beginning. The Prof. in this department would like to know what is
the sum he will be allowed to spend on his laboratory. It will be altogether the cheapest to import
Chemicals, glass, & porcelain ware, & many of his instruments, as they are admitted
duty free when intended for literary & Scientific institutions. This is the common practice
of the Institutions in this part of the country, and it is of importance to have these things at the
beginning of our instructions. These remarks will apply but not so forcibly to the procuring
instruments for use in Engineering.

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As to the fees to be required of the pupils, we would leave them to be settled by the wisdom of
others. At Harvard the fees for the whole course on Engineering amounts to
$100.00, at Yale to $90.00, pr. annum. For Chemistry, to $200.00 at
this place, at Yale to $175.00. Then partial course pupils pay smaller fees
according to what they study. At Brown University the fees are much less, being modified by the peculiar
relations between the scientific & general students. Brown University is professedly a College for the poorer, middling
classes of Society. As to the time to be occupied, similar institutions hereabouts agree in
requiring two and a half or three years for the full attainment of their benefits, nor do we see now
how less time than this can be required. Of course it will be abridged by the advanced standing of a
pupil at his entrance on professional education. We would also propose that the Scientific Students
be subjected to the wholesome oversight and discipline of the University, as are the Academic students, their names being on the
College role, they being required to attend prayers &c, absences being recorded and stated
reports being made. In this we would imitate Brown and not either Harvard or Yale.

These necessarily crude and imperfect suggestions we would make to you and our brethren of the
Faculty, to excite attention and discussion, hoping to receive in return your own suggestions and
decisions. Many points of importance and interest we have not touched. For instance, to what extent
unscientific, empirical students shall be encouraged to apply for instruction & improvement. Brown University is the only school that invites them, in this country.
Were teachers abundant they might be provided for. Also in what points the professional shall
osculate the Academic course, to what extent elections shall be offered the Academic students, and
at what periods of their own course, and upon what terms the professional Students may avail
themselves of the Academic departments, also when our services may be of use to the general system,
it seems to us should be settled by those who have so long and so ably presided over our University and to whom we are so deeply indebted for present positions.